Last week’s blog talked about trying to express gratitude during the holidays, which typically elicit high stress. This week I thought it would be fitting to discuss how we can not only express gratitude, but also reduce stress we’r experiencing. Regardless of whether the stress is due to the holiday season or just due to life in general, we can all use some helpful tools to reduce the stressors in our lives.

I found a great article by Anne Bechard on TinyBuddha reviewing “5 Essential Practices to Enjoy a Stress-Free Life.” While her article may be aimed at the daily stressors we have, I think these practices can definitely be applied to the stress we feel during the Holidays. So what are the 5 essential practices?

“1. Do work you love.

Your job can be stressful. But not liking your job is different from not liking your life. It takes more than just an income to be happy and stress-free in your life. Sometimes the work you love and your job are two separate things.

One of the best ways to de-stress is to do what you love outside of your job. Whether you indulge in a hobby or a business venture on the side, enjoy the fulfillment of doing something that matters to you.

2. Take a toxicity vacation.

Avoid people and situations that inflame you. If you cannot avoid them entirely, take a break from them and decide later if you want to invite them back into your life. Toxic people are like bad investments. They rob you of the hopes and dreams you worked so hard for. They’ve got a problem for every solution.

Don’t waste another minute turning into a nervous wreck over people who stress you out. Instead, take time to relax and de-stress around the people who show you the support and respect they say they have for you.

3. Declutter.

Clutter leads to overcrowding. There’s nothing more stressful than feeling like you’ve lost control of the space around you. Clearing away the clutter gives you a sense of expansiveness and spaciousness. When you feel like you have room to grow, you can relax and relieve stress around you.

4. Find your voice.

One of the worst ways to stress out is to hold everything inside. Get a creative outlet. Whether it’s through art, writing, dance, or music—express what’s inside you. Just because you’re not Picasso does not mean you’re not creative. It’s time to let go of the stress of feeling invisible and find your unique way to invent being heard.

5. Just say no.

Stop stressing yourself out with everyone else’s busy work. Trying to tackle everything that’s thrown at you is like trying to digest an elephant in one gulp. At the end of the day, all you’ve accomplished is swallowing an elephant.

Don’t worry so much about what you “should” do. De-stressing is all about saying no to what’s not essential for you and yes to all that moves you closer to where you want to be. Address your priorities and say no to the rest.”

When looking at this list, think of all the ways you can apply it to your current stressors. Maybe work isn’t what is stressing you out, but finding an outlet, such as yoga, can be a great way to focus on yourself and can also help alleviate your stress. These may not apply to every aspect of the Holiday stress, but it most certainly can’t hurt to incorporate these practices in your life to help stress that comes with life.

If you’d like help with reducing stress in your life and choosing positive ways to enjoy a stress-free life, give us a call at Life Skills Resource Group Orlando at 407-355-7378. Our Orlando mental health counselors and Orlando life coaches are ready and excited to join you on your journey to positive coping!